


inside these arms

by literatiruinedme



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Christmas Presents, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domesticity, F/M, Sharing a Shower, Snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 08:59:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17220887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literatiruinedme/pseuds/literatiruinedme
Summary: A hot shower and cuddling in bed are the only reasonable response to an awkward Christmas dinner with Alice Cooper and a cold walk home through at least a foot of snow.





	inside these arms

“I hate snow.”

She squeezed his hand. “I told you to wear your snow boots.” Betty glanced up at Jughead with a teasing smile pulling at the corner of her lips.

He huffed, holding her hand tightly as they continued to trek through the snow towards his trailer. His shoes were soaked through about five minutes into their twenty-minute walk from Betty’s house and the awkward three-person Christmas dinner Alice hadn’t let them get out of. “I was half asleep when I put these on.”

Betty nodded, pulling him a little bit faster when his trailer came into view. “Well, we're almost there so you're suffering’s nearly over.”

“For now,” Jughead teased, letting his hand slip from Betty's as she ran in front of him, barely able to lift her feet above the snow. He watched as she opened the door with the key she kept on a chain around her neck. After managing to get the door open, she turned back to him with a soft smile before slipping inside.

He quickly crunched through the last of the snow before he made it to the front steps. He slapped the sole of his boot against the edge of the step to whack the snow free from the treads. He repeated the action with his other boot before finally slipping inside.

He leaned down to untie his laces just as he heard the shower start up. “Betts?”

She poked her head out of the bathroom, her hair loose around her shoulders and a small smile on her lips. “Join me, Juggy.” And then she was gone, the door left open a crack behind her.

 _Don't have to tell me twice,_ Jughead thought to himself as he pushed off his other boot, undressing as he walked.

He entered the bathroom quickly, humming happily as the steam in the room warmed his skin, the room filled with the scent of her strawberry shampoo. He quickly slipped behind the curtain, shivering as the hot water pounded against the back of his neck.

“Hey, I was in the middle of something there.”

He opened his eyes- _when had he closed them?_ -to see Betty standing in front of him, shampoo half rinsed out of her hair.

She smiled when he leaned down pecking her on the lips. “You're cute, but you need to move.”

He sighed with mock annoyance. “I guess.” He quickly shifted out of the path of the showerhead, switching spots with Betty.

She rinsed the shampoo from her hair before blinking up at him. She pulled him in for a kiss, her fingers interlocking behind his neck. “Hi.”

He smiled down at her. “Hi.”

She smiled back. “You warming up?”

He nodded, leaning down to kiss her again.  “Getting there.”

Her hands slid to rest on his shoulders, gently tugging him under the spray of the water as she flattened herself back against the wall in the small shower.

Goosebumps raised along his skin at the feeling of warmth radiating off of her and the hot water rushing through his hair, down his neck, and over his shoulders. He stepped back before they could touch, his hair plastered to his forehead, water dripping in his eyes.

He brushed his hair back, smiling when Betty reached up, soap already in her hands. He let his head tip forward, a groan falling from his lips as her nails dragged along his scalp.

“Forward.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” He obeyed, taking a step closer until water rained down on him once more, washing the soap away. He took a step back when she tapped his shoulder, standing tall again. He blinked water from his eyes, watching as Betty worked conditioner into her hair.

She handed him the bottle of conditioner she'd had squeezed between her knees before she poured body wash onto a loofah.

He stole the loofah from her, putting the bottle of conditioner down at their feet.

“Jug-”

He leaned down to kiss her again, smiling against her lips when he felt her relax as he rubbed the loofah in slow circles over her stomach. He pulled back, focusing on what he was doing as he continued washing her body.

She giggled as he dragged the loofah under her arms, drawing a smile to his lips. “Don't even,” she huffed despite the smile on her lips. “It's your turn after this and-” She reached out to tease her fingertips along his belly, grinning when he squirmed. “You're just as sensitive.”

He knelt before her, dragging the loofah down each of her thighs, her calves, and the bottoms of her feet. “Since when is it illegal to smile, Cooper?”

“Your smile is a rarity-” She leaned down to kiss the corner of his mouth as she picked up his conditioner. “It's anything but illegal.” She squeezed a small amount of conditioner onto her palm before reaching out to run her fingers through his hair.

He let his eyes slip shut, leaning forward until Betty's fingers tightened, holding him in place. He looked up at her with a frown, offering her his best puppy dog eyes.

“You can do that later,” she said with a smile. She rolled her eyes when he whined. “Up, Juggy.”

“Fine,” he sighed, holding onto her hands as he got to his feet.

She leaned in to peck his lips before rinsing herself clean. She turned, wordlessly asking him to scrub her shoulders of any residual conditioner, which he happily obliged.

After rinsing herself once more, she grabbed the loofah, hanging it up to drip dry as she poured a sizeable amount of soap into one hand. She rubbed her palms together until the soap began to lather before reaching up to work it into his shoulders, down his chest, and over his stomach.

He bit his bottom lip in a failed attempt to keep from smiling as her warm hands slid over his flesh.

She kissed his chin before poking his shoulder, silently instructing him to turn. She paused for a moment, opening and closing the bottle of soap once more before he felt her hands on his shoulders.

He shivered as she worked her thumbs into the back of his neck, digging into a knot that had been bothering him for the last few nights. He groaned when the knot dissipated, his shoulders sagging with relief. “You're a goddess,” he groaned.

She laughed, squeezing his side. “You get broody, so I have to go searching for what’s bothering you.”

He hummed, turning in her arms.

“Hey, I wasn't done-”

He cut her off with his lips on hers, smiling against her mouth as she relaxed. He reached out to rest his hands on her hips, pulling her closer.

“Jughead,” she whispered.

He hummed. “I know, no sex in the shower-”

She pulled back laughing.

He felt his cheeks heat up, praying the warmth of the shower his it from her. “What?”

She pecked his lips once more. “Let me take care of you and then we can go from there, okay?”

He felt his whole body relax. “Okay.”

“Good.” She smiled. “Now turn.”

He sighed, knowing he was beaten. “Here’s me, turning.” He closed his eyes, relaxing as Betty’s hands roamed his body. He smiled when she wrapped her arms around him, gently tugging him back until his body was flush with hers. He shivered when she kissed the back of his neck. “Betty?”

“Are you happy?”

Jughead turned in her arms. He reached up to cup her face, the spray of the water on his shoulder long forgotten. “Why are you asking me that?”

She shrugged. “Just humour me?”

He sighed, closing his eyes while he kissed her forehead. “I’ve never been as happy as I am when I’m with you.”

Betty smiled, pushing up on the tips of her toes. “Give me a kiss?”

Jughead beamed. “Of course,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss her lips. “You know how much I love you, right?”

She nodded, biting her lip. “I do.”

“And you love me?”

She nodded again, offering him a big smile. “I do.”

“Then I’m happy.”

She pulled him in for another kiss as she pushed him under the water, kissing him as she ran her fingers through his hair.

He pulled back with a smile. “Are you trying to multitask?”

She grinned. “Absolutely.”

Jughead laughed. “You’re something else, Betty Cooper.”

She shrugged, reaching around him for the dial. “I want to go to bed, Jones.”

He hummed, pushing back the curtain before stepping onto the bathmat, her hand in his. “Tired?”

“Yes.” She closed her eyes, leaning into him as he reached out to grab a towel, wrapping it around her shoulders. She pulled back, quickly drying her body before squeezing her hair with the towel. She looked up at him after she’d finished, brows furrowed. “Juggy, come on.”

He blushed, reaching out for a towel of his own. “Sorry,” he said sheepishly, finishing drying off. He wrapped the towel around his waist and reached out for his toothbrush.

Betty followed suit soon as she’d wrapped her towel around herself.

After he finished brushing his teeth, he sat down on the lid of the toilet, watching as she reached out for a bottle of lotion.

Betty looked over at him when she caught his eye. “Get into bed, I'll be right behind you.”

“What if I want to stay?”

She smiled, walking until she was standing between his thighs. She reached out with both hands to cup his face. “Go.”

“But-”

She cut him off with her lips on his, her hands holding his face steady.

His eyes closed as he reached out to brush his fingertips up her spine. He smiled when she shivered.

Her hands slid down the length of his neck to his shoulders. She gently rested her palms on his shoulders before gently pushing him away.

He let out a whine, but his hands slipped down to his sides.

She smiled, leaning in to kiss his lips. “Bed.”

“But it's cold there.”

Her eyes closed and she took a deep breath before pulling him to his feet and giving him another gentle push towards the door. “ _Go._ ”

He sighed, nodding his head. “Okay.”

Betty smiled, watching him looking away. He dropped his towel just as he passed the threshold.

“Jug,” Betty called after him, laughing despite her stern tone.

“Come to bed,” he said, half smiling at the ground as he walked. He tugged on the sweatpants folded on his pillow before he grabbed a corner of the blankets.

He pulled his hand back when the blankets appeared hot. “Betty!”

She strolled into the room, brow raised as she ran a hand through her hair. “You alright?” She asked, pulling the blankets back to sit on her side of the bed. She unwrapped her towel and reached out to put on a shirt ( _his_ shirt) that she'd left folded on her pillow.

“The blanket-” He reached out to touch the material again, pursing his lips when it was warm below his palm. “Why's it warm?” He blinked down at the pillows. Steel gray with dark blue swirls printed across the fabric. “And are those new sheets?”

“Merry Christmas.”

Jughead's eyes snapped up to Betty's once more.

She had a timid smile on her lips, but her face was so open, so warm and full of love.

“Betty?”

“You're always cold and your sheets looked more than a little worn, so I got you an electric blanket and two sets of sheets.” She brushed her fingers over the sheets before she paused, shrugging a shoulder. “I washed the ones that were on before- I can put them back on if you don't want them.”

He smiled, holding his hand out to her. He felt his shoulders relax when she smiled and reached out to thread her fingers through his. “You didn't have to.”

She laughed. “If I don't buy you an over-the-top gift, then is it really Christmas?”

“You know that's not true.” He frowned, sitting down on the bed next to her. “If I'm with you it doesn't matter.”

“Juggy-”

“You're my gift,” he interrupted, pulling her hand close to his chest.

She cracked a smile. “That’s cliché and vaguely reminiscent of the incestual Folders Coffee commercial-” She paused when he laughed, gently squeezing his hand. “But that's very sweet of you.”

He smiled, leaning in to kiss her. “You're something else, Betty Cooper.”

Betty smiled, rolling her eyes. “Go shut the lights off and get into bed, Jughead.”

He kissed her lips before walking off to flick the light switch. He blinked, waiting a second for his eyes to adjust before crawling into bed. He moaned as the warmth provided by the electric blanket surrounded him.

Betty giggled beside him, reaching out to touch his damp hair. “Come here.”

He smiled, inching closer until he and Betty were nose to nose. “This is beautiful.”

She reached up to cup his cheek, sliding her thumb back and forth so slowly that he knew he wasn't going to be able to stay awake for very long. “I'm glad you like it. I already know I'm going to be envious of you when I'm at home laying in bed tomorrow night.”

He smiled, sliding one arm under her neck and the other over her hip. “My bed is your bed,” he said, pulling her closer.

She kissed his brow, sighing happily when his eyes slipped closed. “I know.” She kissed both of his eyes. She draped her leg over his hips and wrapped her arms around him. “Rest.”

He hummed, nodding slowly. “Betts-”

She leaned over to capture his lips with her own, cutting him off. She pulled back slowly, resting her forehead against his. “Yes?”

He smiled against her lips. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first fic with these two and I hope it's enjoyable!
> 
> You can find me over at literatiruinedme on tumblr!


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